Interlocking spring-plank



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INTERLOCKING SPRING PLANK.

APPLlCATlON HLED APR. I6. ms.

Patented pr- 13,1920.

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m cfir; K 2i??? h! My 3% H7 h r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. WOLFE, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FQUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. A CORPORATION OF JERSEY.

INTERLOCKING SPRING-BLANK.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed April 16, 1919. Serial No. 290,445.-

Toall whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERBERT \V. VOLFF, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, and being a citizen of the United States. have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Interlocking Spring- Planks, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that thezinvention is not limited to 'the-exact details of construction shown and described,"ias it is.. 0bvious that various modificationsthereof "within the scope of the claims will occunfltoI-persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is 'a side elevational view of a truck side frame equipped with the present invent-ion, showing in section a' body bolster and spring plank, the section thereof being taken on line 1- 1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view, the section being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. the

section being taken on line 3.-3 of Fig. 1;,

and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the bottom member of the truck sideframe of Fig. 1. I I

The object of the invention is to provide means adapted to prevent sidewise move- -ment of spring planks in railway trucks of the type illustrated in the drawing in which there is a central opening for the insertion of the body bolster, springs, spring seat and spring plank, which-opening is wider near the bottom than at the top so as to facilitate the entrance of body bolsters with attached column guides. The body bolster .is

moved upwardly to the position indicated position, many of which are difiicult of application and to provide means to facilitate the assembly of the-parts, the present in vent-ion contemplates features of novelty all as hereinafter more fully described and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates the truck side frame. 6 the central opening hereinafter referred to, 7 the truck bolster, 8 the springs, 9 the spring seat, 10 the spring cap, 11 the web of the channel-shaped spring plank, the normal plane of which web is horizontal in service, 12 a stop secured to said web 11 by suitable rivetor other connection, and 13 lugs cast integral with the side frame 5 and projecting laterally inwardly therefrom, as best shown in Fig. 2. a

The lugs 13 are disposed, as shown in the drawing, in a plane below the web 11 of the channel-shaped spring plank and the stop 12 rests in the position-between said lugs 13 so that with a lug 13 at each side of the stop 1:2 the spring plank cannot move sidewise in the opening 6 when the parts are assembled, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The stop portion 12, depending below the normal plane of the web of the spring plank, also serves as a spacing means for the truck side frames and it is understood that the parts illustrated are duplicated at the opposite side of the truck.

There is an advantage in providing the lugs 13. extending laterally inwardly from the truck side frame, as shown, because such disposition of the lugs permits the use of a spring plank of the conventional channel form with stops, as 12. or their equivalent, positioned as shown. and this arrangement permits the use of a spring plank, the web of which is not weakened by holes punched therein to interlock with vertically extendng members adapted to pass through the web of said spring plank; neither is it necessary to perforate its vertical flanges for bolts adapted to secure such flanges'to vertical members of the truck side frame.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In combination, a channel shaped spring plank provided with a portion depending below the normal plane of its web, a truckside frame provided with a central. opening wider than saidspring plank, and integral lugs extending laterally from said side frame to interlock with the spring plank.

' 2. In combination, a truck side frame having a central opening, a spring plank extending into and being of less width than the opening and havingatdepending portion, and means on the side frame adapted prevent sidewise movement of said spring plank.

3. In combination, a spring plank having a web portion and a portion depending below the normal plane of said web, and a truck side frame provided with a central opening wider than said spring plankand with integral later-all extending means adapted to interl ck with the depending portion of the spring plank to prevent sidewise movement of the latter.

l. A cast metal truck side frame provided with a central opening and having integral lugs extending laterally therefrom, in combinati'on with a channel-shaped springplank having a web portion of lessvvidth than tl to engage with said depending POItiOHf-f-tO Wvidth of said opening andhaving a portion depending below the normal plane. of said web into the plane of said lugs to interlock therewith and prevent sidewise movement of the spring plank in said opening of the side frame.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. 3o 

